A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 663

It was a photograph of a toddler, no older than two, clutching a stuffed animal. The little girl was smiling so brightly her grin practically stretched from ear to ear.

She looked so radiant, so completely full of life.

It was a stark contrast to the cautious, hyper-vigilant Elissa she had become over the years, but it was impossible to miss. Almost on instinct, she recognized herself.

The little girl in the photo was her.

It was her, long before her adoptive parents had ever taken her in.

A chill ran down her spine. [What exactly do you know?]

Her own past was a complete blur even to her. How could Marcia suddenly possess all the answers?

From the driver's seat, Rex couldn't see her screen, but he felt the sudden, tense shift in her demeanor. This time, however, he knew better than to pry.

The car sped smoothly down the highway, finally pulling into the driveway of Rivercross Residence. The moment the car came to a stop, the passenger door was opened from the outside.

Elissa looked up, meeting Rowan's dark, bottomless gaze. Instantly, the chaotic storm in her chest seemed to settle. "You're done with work?"

She had assumed he wouldn't be home until the afternoon at the earliest.

Rowan gently helped her out of the car. "Yeah. I can handle the rest remotely."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted sharply toward the uninvited guest in the driver's seat.

Rex knew exactly why Rowan looked so annoyed. He rubbed the back of his neck defensively. "Come on, we don't do the whole 'sins of the father' thing in this day and age."

"In this day and age, we also don't show up uninvited at other people's houses right at dinnertime," Rowan replied, his tone dripping with ice.

"Oh, give him a break!"

Janice stepped out right on cue, greeting Rex with a warm, beaming smile. "Don't listen to a word this brat says. Come on in, we're just about to eat."

She had no idea what was going on between the two men, but she knew perfectly well that no one in the Murphy family could afford to offend Elissa's fiercely protective relatives. If she let Rowan piss them off, her precious granddaughter-in-law might just pack her bags and leave.

She reached out, gently taking Elissa's hand. "You must be starving, right?"

Elissa nodded eagerly. "I really am."

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